Turnovers costly for Trenton in loss to Vineland

TRENTON >> There were a couple of ways to look at the Trenton High football team’s second straight loss after it suffered a tough 2012 setback against visiting Vineland Saturday afternoon.

The not so positive for Trenton was it once again had too many mistakes, including six fumbles that resulted in four turnovers. As such, to an extent Trenton beat itself.

On the other hand, this was a much more inspired effort by the Tornadoes following last week’s blowout loss to Nottingham in which it also fumbled the ball away three times. In other words, it just had a different feel to it.

“We’re back,” an upbeat Trenton coach Greg Hyslop told his team in the postgame huddle. “I think our kids played hard; they really had their heads in this game. I’m proud of them.”

There was the thought Trenton might be in trouble against a Vineland team that came to town with a somewhat deceiving 1-3 record because it plays a brutal schedule that includes some of the real heavyweights in South Jersey.

Trenton was also without starting quarterback James Hubbard and seemed wary of really opening its passing offense until it had to in the fourth quarter.

Still, the Tornadoes found a way to hang right in there against the Poultry Clan, starting with a spectacular 14-year TD run by quarterback Ricky Brown Jr. on the first play of the second quarter. This capped a 13-play, 65-yard drive featuring the hard running of Jermaine Tillary, who finished with 78 yards on 23 carries.

Unfortunately, for the Tornadoes, Vineland countered with the next three touchdowns to take 20-6 lead into the fourth quarter.

The first came on a 39yard TD strike from

Tyreem Powell to a wide-opening on Jonathan Toney on a seam pass deep down the middle. After recovering a fumble, the Clan struck again in the second quarter on a 13-yard run by Powell, who stands 6-5 and will be playing on the next level at Virginia Tech.

When Vineland started the third quarter with a 50yard drive culminated by a 6-yard TD run by Nahzir Broome, its lead was up two touchdowns and all the momentum appeared to be on its sideline.

To its credit and what Hyslop was talking about after the game, it was here where Trenton sucked it up and refused to go away.

As a result, Trenton was able to draw to within eight points with a little less than four minutes remaining on another highlightreel run by Brown. Once again he was flushed out of the pocket before weaving his way through the Vineland secondary and barely busting his way into the end zone.

Things then looked even more promising for Trenton when it stripped a runner of the ball and Tillery recovered on the Vineland 16 yard line with plenty of time remaining to possibly tie the score.

Instead, Trenton’s offense misfired with two procedure penalties and after getting the ball back Vineland was able to run out the clock.

“We were able to move the ball,” said Hyslop. “It was three yards and a cloud of dust, but we were moving it and didn’t hurt ourselves with offensive penalties.

“All week I heard how are we going to move the ball without James to run it. You saw it today. Ricky Brown can run off our offense. He’s not as fast as James, but he has great vision and can make people miss.”

Vineland (2-3) Trenton (3-2) 0 16 6 0 — 20 0 6 0 6 — 12

T-Brown 14 run (run failed) V-Toney 39 pass from Powell (Garton kick)

V-Powell 13 run (Garton kick) V-Broome 6 run (kick blocked) T-Brown 24 run (kick failed)